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I remember years ago when the board first started I asked would the Caradssians join the Federationafter the Dominion war. Most people seemed to think it was inevitable.

But do you really think the Federation would let them? Dipite their war crimes in the war and before... they are almost the exact opposite of what the Federation stands for.

The Federation doesnt want to take over the Galaxy, its just happy to have anyone who lives by their rules.

I think if the Cardassians kept up their whole "We're like the Nazis but worse" thing then no, probably not. But Trek does love the whole "almost everyone really just wants to live in freedom, democracy and peace deep down" idea. If they were done with the Cardies as bad guys I've no doubt they would write them as adopting Federation values and joining up in the end, most likely after a period of alliance like the TNG Klingons have.

The Cardies were once supposed to have been peaceable folk, then went through a culture change to become Uber Nazi. There is no reason why handwavium can't be used to explain a return to gentleness, and perhaps a merger with the Fed.

I suspect it would depend on how post-Dominion War reconstruction were handled. If Cardassian reconstruction was handled similarly to the reconstruction of West Germany and Japan it is possible that in a few generations a kinder, gentler Cardassia might petition for UFP membership or a Khitomer like alliance. On the other hand it is quite possible Cardassians are very entrenched in their uber-Nazi ways and they go back to a cold war footing.

It is also possible depending on the state of the Cardassian government maybe individual worlds might try to break away and petition for Federation membership.

Vic wrote:The Cardies were once supposed to have been peaceable folk, then went through a culture change to become Uber Nazi. There is no reason why handwavium can't be used to explain a return to gentleness, and perhaps a merger with the Fed.

Who needs handwavium? The idea of a state going from Nazis to solid democracy and close allies of their former enemies in a few years isn't exactly unprecedented.

Captain Seafort wrote:

Vic wrote:The Cardies were once supposed to have been peaceable folk, then went through a culture change to become Uber Nazi. There is no reason why handwavium can't be used to explain a return to gentleness, and perhaps a merger with the Fed.

Who needs handwavium? The idea of a state going from Nazis to solid democracy and close allies of their former enemies in a few years isn't exactly unprecedented.

Well, Germany might have had another motivation to join the US, considering what was happening to their Easter neighbors.

The ideal future that I am seeing is the Romulan Empire semi-allied to the Federation (due to Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges). The Klingons will spend a decade rebuilding, so you could have worlds on the Federation/Klingon border changing hands. Figure the planets that cannot be defended by the Klingon empire will be transferred to the Federation for a time, to let the Federation put up the resources to rebuild, then the Klingon Empire will get them back. This is probably the only area I see the Federation expanding.

The Borg are currently the only credible outside threat for the Alpha/Beta Quadrant. I'd see a system of alliances being set up for dealing with future Borg incursions, rather than the Federation actually assimilating other empires.

Well to be honest the Federation does seem to want membership even if the system is not ready or not willing yet. Look at Bajor.

McAvoy wrote:Well to be honest the Federation does seem to want membership even if the system is not ready or not willing yet. Look at Bajor.

Well Bajor also represented a key strategic point where it would be beneficial to have a foothold -- even without the wormhole Bajor seems strategically close to both Cardassia and the Maquis area of operations.

Also I wonder how much of may have been a way for the Federation to absolve itself of its own guilty feelings for not doing more during the Occupation (remember this is still TNG Utopian Federation that made the initial policy calls). I could see some council member somewhere arguing/philosophizing that the Federation must make this attempt to bring Bajor into the fold and help rebuild it to make up for the Federation's moral failure to act during the Occupation.

I do not remember of any references prior to DS9 of Bajor wanting to join the Federation. Sisko was there to help the process of Bajor to be eventually made a member prior to the formation of the Maquis and the discovery of the wormhole.

I think you may have mis-understood my point. I wasn't saying the Federation took any actions because Bajor desired it. I was attempting to explain why the Federation would want to send someone in to facilitate a hopeful transition for Bajor anyway, regardless of what the Bajoran government at the time wanted.

Coalition wrote:...I'd see a system of alliances being set up for dealing with future Borg incursions...

This was something I always wanted to see explored. A Borg Defense Pact, or something along those lines with the major Alpha and Beta Quadrant powers at least.

Tsukiyumi wrote:

Coalition wrote:...I'd see a system of alliances being set up for dealing with future Borg incursions...

This was something I always wanted to see explored. A Borg Defense Pact, or something along those lines with the major Alpha and Beta Quadrant powers at least.

Check out the Destiny trilogy...

The problem with a Borg defence pact is the IU ship speeds are really to slow to deal with moving great numbers of ships into enemy territories.

It could happen, but not for a long time. Hell, was there even much of a Union 'left' after the Dominion War?

Cardassia prime was screwed, but they still had other planets.